Gone but not forgotten: Knoxville area restaurants and retailers we miss.

[VolInNorthCack]

I went to Duff's on Merchant's Dr. one time with my parents. They lived in SE Kentucky and were down here pretty often, and they went to Duff's every time they could. They loved it!

When did Duff's close up? Mid-80's? Were they based in Knoxville, or were they a chain?

I think they closed in the mid 80's yes. It might have been a small chain. Not sure.

 

[VolInNorthCack]

No responses on my earlier query about a Victoria Station restaurant in Knoxville.. anyone?

I vaguely remember the logo, but nothing else about it. A quick google search took me to Wikipedia.
Victoria Station (restaurant) - Wikipedia

 

[VolInNorthCack]

I think they closed in the mid 80's yes. It might have been a small chain. Not sure.

This is about the best thing I could find about Duff's. FROM HOMETOWN TO NATIONWIDE, DUFF'S KEEPS ORIGINAL FLAVOR

It also appears that there is still a Duff's in Pigeon Forge.

 

[Ted]

I vaguely remember the logo, but nothing else about it. A quick google search took me to Wikipedia.
Victoria Station (restaurant) - Wikipedia

Yeah, that's the Wiki article that I saw that mentioned that Knoxville had a location.

 

[Ted]

This is about the best thing I could find about Duff's. FROM HOMETOWN TO NATIONWIDE, DUFF'S KEEPS ORIGINAL FLAVOR

Pretty old article, from 1990, but it was a good read about the early days of Duff's through that year. Thanks for sharing, VINC!

I had mentioned the Merchant's Drive location - I believe it was where Mandarin House Buffet is located now in Merchant Village. Were there other Duff's locations in Knoxville?

Maybe I should say where Mandarin House was located. Has it gone out of business? I haven't been by there in a while, and there's not much signs of life for it online.

 

[VolInNorthCack]

Pretty old article, from 1990, but it was a good read about the early days of Duff's through that year. Thanks for sharing, VINC!

I had mentioned the Merchant's Drive location - I believe it was where Mandarin House Buffet is located now in Merchant Village. Were there other Duff's locations in Knoxville?

Maybe I should say where Mandarin House was located. Has it gone out of business? I haven't been by there in a while, and there's not much signs of life for it online.

That is the only Duff's I remember in Knoxville.

 

[GreatOrange]

That is the only Duff's I remember in Knoxville.

There used to be one between Cedar Bluff and Walker Springs on Kingston pike. Next to what used to be Grayson Pontiac (now Grayson Hyundai). I think it is Rothschild Catering now.

 

[MAD]

 

[SpecialKVolfan20]

This is about the best thing I could find about Duff's. FROM HOMETOWN TO NATIONWIDE, DUFF'S KEEPS ORIGINAL FLAVOR

It also appears that there is still a Duff's in Pigeon Forge.

That’s been closed for a few years now.
It’s now called Captain Jacks Seafood Buffet.

 

[Ted]

I believe [Duff's] was where Mandarin House Buffet is located now in Merchant Village. Maybe I should say where Mandarin House was located. Has it gone out of business? I haven't been by there in a while, and there's not much signs of life for it online.

I drove by there on Merchant's last week and looked closely. I did see an "OPEN" sign that was on. Mandarin House used to be really good the first ten years or so it was open. I've been there in the past ten years several times and wasn't impressed.

 

[Ted]

That’s been closed for a few years now.
It’s now called Captain Jacks Seafood Buffet.

I did a search, and it's actually called Captain Jim's Seafood Buffet. Here's the GMap: 3985 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN

I do remember there being a Duff's in that building back in the 80's and possibly into the early 90's.

I did another search on Duff's Smorgasboard, and found that there is a web domain. www.duffsbuffet.com will take you to what may be the last remaining Duff's, in Clearwater, Florida. It's a similar logo. Apparently the name was changed after the bankruptcy. No conveyor belt, just regular steam tables.

 

[MAD]

I did a search, and it's actually called Captain Jim's Seafood Buffet. Here's the GMap: 3985 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN

I do remember there being a Duff's in that building back in the 80's and possibly into the early 90's.

I did another search on Duff's Smorgasboard, and found that there is a web domain. www.duffsbuffet.com will take you to what may be the last remaining Duff's, both in Florida. It's a similar logo. Apparently the name was changed after the bankruptcy.

View attachment 410766

This is so cool, it’s where I live now, will check it out.

 

[Ted]

John Patty moved his car dealership from Tazewell to Wilbanks Rd. in Knoxville in the late 70's. The name changed to Patty Bros., and I think it was a Ford dealership. Great visibility from the interstate! The building sat up on the hill on Wilbanks just after turning off Callahan. The dealership closed in the early 90's (I think) and it sat vacant and open for a long time. If you walked inside, there were a number of cars still there, including a fairly nice 60's Mustang.

After the Patty Bros. building was torn down, there was a liquor store which didn't last long, then that building was torn down, and it's a truck parking area now.

And now it is the location of a new car dealership- North Knox Chrysler Jeep Ram.

 

[MAD]

What’s happening to the site of the old Hyatt?

 

[Ted]

What’s happening to the site of the old Hyatt?

The building is still there and vacant. There have been a couple of proposals to refurbish it as a hotel, and another to convert it into elderly assisted living. None of those have come about.

It was most recently open as a hotel as Hotel Knoxville. HK went out of business in March 2020 and the property was sold at auction in May 2020. It was sold again to its current owners later in 2020.

There has been no serious discussion of demolishing the building, at least nothing in the Knoxville media. I did see in Knoxnews.com that the owners have submitted a new proposal to the City, but the article is subscriber-only.




June 29, 2019 photo from the Knoxnews site, credit to Ruth White.

 

[HarsinVol]

The Strip laden with head shops and record stores (late 60's) - unnamed but not forgotten.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

The Strip laden with head shops and record stores (late 60's) - unnamed but not forgotten.

The Odyssey. Discount Records. 1970s names.

 

[HarsinVol]

The Odyssey. Discount Records. 1970s names.

I remember one head shop that tripled as a psychedelic comic and record shop. . Then if you knew the Owners, there was the sale of all kinds of trippies and smokies in the parking area behind. heh

 

[EricStratton]

Hydrolic sidewalk, Earth Shoes store,

Patty Bros. was a Datsun dealership.

 

[VolInNorthCack]

The building is still there and vacant. There have been a couple of proposals to refurbish it as a hotel, and another to convert it into elderly assisted living. None of those have come about.

It was most recently open as a hotel as Hotel Knoxville. HK went out of business in March 2020 and the property was sold at auction in May 2020. It was sold again to its current owners later in 2020.

There has been no serious discussion of demolishing the building, at least nothing in the Knoxville media. I did see in Knoxnews.com that the owners have submitted a new proposal to the City, but the article is subscriber-only.

View attachment 412723


June 29, 2019 photo from the Knoxnews site, credit to Ruth White.

What a shame. It was very elegant hotel at one time when it was the Hyatt. I can remember going to Christmas events there as a kid and it was always a treat to ride the elevator.

 

[2EastTnVols]

Wasn't there a weird video store on the strip called Evil Eye?

 

[MAD]

Wasn't there a weird video store on the strip called Evil Eye?

Was it close Kinkos?

 

[2EastTnVols]

Was it close Kinkos?

Yes it was kind of behind kinko's near the alley. I walked home to the fort that way and it was a pretty creepy place.

 

[1 in 102 455]

Naples Italian Restaurant. Was one of my favorite places to eat. Hate it’s gone.

 

[tntar heel]

Naples Italian Restaurant. Was one of my favorite places to eat. Hate it’s gone.

Wife and I had 2nd date there over 25 years ago.